Interview with Alice Arenz and #giveaway

Today we welcome Alice K. Arenz to my blog. Alice is very graciously giving away one kindle copy of her book. To enter, leave a comment, and be sure to leave contact information. (You'll be disqualified if you don't, and you won't want to miss a chance to read this book!) 

Alice, glad to have you stop by. Can you tell me about the book, share the blurb

The book is called The Wedding Barter. It’s a Christian Romance—my first in this genre! Following is the back cover blurb.

Riley Carr has been best friends with Amy Lawton since they were toddlers.  While Amy awaits her discharge from the Army, Riley's been left in charge of helping to arrange "a very small, intimate ceremony with no fanfare" for Amy and her fiancé. But, Riley has something else in mind.

With the aid of two other friends, Riley presents her “wedding barter” idea to groom, David Herron. He agrees, providing best man, Mike Todd, stays in the loop to keep things from getting out of hand.

It doesn't help that the giant of a man is threatening, overbearing, and just doesn’t seem to like her or her ideas. But, when Todd gives Riley an ultimatum of producing results in three weeks or he’ll take over, she’s determined to prove him wrong. . .in more ways than one.

Where did you grow up and attend school? Are there any other authors in your family? 

I grew up and attended school from 6^th grade on in a small Iowa town. We’d moved there from Alaska.

As for authors, my grandson was about six or seven when he had a short story published by a small press. He’s a teenager now, and I’m not sure if he’s interested in doing more writing or not. His younger sister, however, loves to write stories, so I think we have a budding author there!

As for “writing,” my oldest granddaughter writes and performs her own music and lyrics. She’s a college sophomore and is studying music and psychology in the hope of one day combining the two for music therapy.

How did you get started writing? How old were you? What made you want to start? What did you enjoy reading as a child?

I think writing was the natural progression from my love of making up and telling stories when I was little.  I remember the record books—where you had the Little Golden Book and followed along with the record as it was read—and being very sad whenever the book was completed. (Guess I’m dating myself with that!) I always wanted more, so would add to the “end.” By the time I was about twelve I was writing “real” books.

I loved the Black Stallion books by Walter Farley, but I’d read anything I could get my hands on. Somewhere around 4^th grade I discovered mysteries & have been hooked ever since.

How and when did you and your husband meet? Was it love at first sight? What does he think about your being an author?

We actually met on the Internet. It took a while to fall in love, even after we’d met in person. :)

Chris is very supportive of my writing. So much so, that when I was unable to sit at the computer and write The Wedding Barter, he typed as I dictated. It was a very difficult process, not always fun or productive, but we made it through the 49,000 word short novel in about seven weeks!

How old are your children? Do they read your books? Have any of them got the writing bug, as well?

I don’t think they’d like me telling you their ages—suffice it to say they are adults with children of their own.  I have two daughters and four grandchildren—two boys, two girls. Both my daughters and oldest granddaughter read my books. My granddaughter read The Case of the Bouncing Grandma and The Case of the Mystified M.D. so many times I’ve replaced them for her. She now reads on her Kindle.

How do you research the communities and people you write about? Do you find yourself having do a lot of research? 

One of the things I learned early on was “write what you know.” It took me a long time to realize that what I know best is what my imagination—with God’s direction—shows me. The towns in my stories are fictional, just like the people. They are an amalgamation of places I’ve been, people I’ve met or just observed. There will be a generalized location suggested, usually within Missouri, and mention of real places, but, for the most part, it’s all fiction.

As for research—not my favorite topic!—I’ve never done more than I did for The Wedding Barter. I was constantly stopping dictation to look something up or check something to make sure I was describing it correctly. While there’s always some research involved, this one was way more than I’d ever thought it would be.

Which is your favorite book? Do you have a character in your books you identify with the most?

Oooh, I don’t really know. My books are like my children, there can never be a favorite. As for the character I identify with most...I guess that would be Glory Harper from the Bouncing Grandma Mystery series. I’d like to have her spunk and sense of humor.

Though Alice K. Arenz is known for her cozy mysteries and romantic mystery/suspense novels, the Carol Award winning author has branched out with her newest release, The Wedding Barter, a romance that is both serious and funny.

Arenz is a member of American Christian Fiction Writers. Her first three novels were honored by two finals and one win in ACFW’s Carol Awards: cozy mysteries The Case of the Bouncing Grandma (a 2009 finalist), The Case of the Mystified M.D., (2010 winner), and mystery/suspense Mirrored Image (a 2011 finalist). These novels have been followed by An American Gothic, Portrait of Jenny, and short story, Home Cookin’.

Visit her at her website www.akawriter.com

Available in print and ebook through Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B077TT1SSN/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512071270&sr=8-1&keywords=the+wedding+barter